Paigah Palace - One of the Jewels of Hyderabad
Paigah Palace was used as office of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
By Shailendra Joshi Published on 20 April 2023 5:08 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Mana Hyderabad, located at the Deccan plateau, has a personality of its own among global cities. It is a city where every lane and by-lane has some history to share. Over a period of time both natural and man made heritage of the city is shrinking. A person visiting Hyderabad after a decade or so can hardly recognize the city. Honestly, we have not done justice to the heritage scattered all around the city.
The glass sky scrappers coming up at a pace rings the alarm bells about the civic amenities especially, the chaotic traffic. However, denizens of Hyderabad take comfort in the thought that the city civic amenities and traffic look better than several contemporary cities in the country. Being a one eyed and comparing with nil eyed is not a positive sign.
Despite our negligence, certain majestic structures are still thriving in the city. The Paigah Palace, hither to being used as the US consulate, is one such building that could be considered as one of the jewels.
The Palace was built by Sir Vicar-ul-Umara in the year 1900 after he gave the famous Falaknuma Palace to the 6 th Nizam of Hyderabad state, Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah-VI. Both the Falaknuma and Paigah Palace are contemporary, full of grandeur but located differently. Falaknuma, now a hotel, is located at a hill trying to say hello to sky (Falak) while Paigah Palace is closure to reality and located on a plane. Paigah Palace seems to be part of a complex, as a part of dewadi is with Chiran fort.
The IT boom has started in Hyderabad. Residents of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh had to go to Chennai for getting the USA visa. The then Chief Minister with his entourage (I was also the part of the group as IT Secretary) for his US visit had to go to Chennai for stamping his passport for visa, he made up his mind through diplomatic channels to invite American Consulate to Hyderabad. When in the year 2008, it was decided to establish a new US mission in Hyderabad, the then YSR government gave the Paigah Palace on lease to start the consulate.
For the sake of record, Paigah Palace was used as office of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. To cut a long story short, the upkeep of Paigah Palace improved under the US flag. As a new US consulate building has come up in the city, the US flag was lowered in Paigah Palace on March 15 th 2023.
On completion of the lease, the Paigah Palace has been handed over to the Government of Telangana. The early decision on the future use of the Paigah Palace, lest its becomes in disuse, is very important. After bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, Telangana did not have any public building of grandeur. As Hyderabad house in Delhi is used for state functions, the government may consider to use Paigah Palace for similar purposes.
Once upon a time Jubilee hall was used for such purposes which was grossly inadequate. Suppose if a G20 type session is ever planned in Hyderabad, Paigah Palace would be the right place to hold such conferences. To sum up, let us take, quick decision to conserve our heritage for the future generations. Failing that Hyderabad will become another soul-less city.
(By Shailendra Joshi, Former Chief Secretary Telangana State)
